Torn
by Daisy5
Summary: Sequel to April Showers. Life becomes a little bit more complicated at the Hyperion Hotel


Title: Torn Author: Daisy Email:e.large@talk21.com Rating: PG13 Disclaimer: Not mine. Those evil geniuses at Mutant Enemy and his highness Joss Whedon do. Aprils mine tho, and Joss cant have her! Feedback: PLEASE! Spoliers: Season 3 Distribution:Want, take, have, byt be a peach and let me know Note: Tis the sequel to April Showers, this is before Darla had the wee nipper, so I made up how I thought it would happen.  
  
  
  
Cordelia woke up with the strong figure of Angel wrapped around her, for a second she was confused about how exactly she got here. But it all soon came back to her in a flood of memories. She'd found out about Angel sleeping with Darla and confronted him about it only for April, one of Angels old gal pals to show up. Then somehow between then and now Angel had confessed his love for her and she did the same to him.It's amazing what can happen in a day. She let her gaze travel over him, sometime during the night Angel had changed in to cotton pyjama bottoms but had neglected to put a top on. She knew that he usually slept naked and guessed that the pj's were for her benefit. She brushed his mussed up hair away from his forehead making him murmur contentedly. He has no idea how beautiful he is Untangling herself from Angels iron like grip, Cordelia slipped out of bed. Her stomach was rumbling loudly and she didn't want to wake Angel yet, she needed a little while to absorb everything that had happened in the last couple of days. She grinned to herself as she hurried down to the kitchen. Angel loves me. We almost......damn curse.She frowned at that last thought. What are we gonna do about that? A loud grumble of her stomach brought herself out of her day dream. Need foodShe rifled through the fridge looking for something easy and quick to make. Umm, sandwich? No. Ohh Chinese, ewww, I'm gonna guess the green film on top means it's off  
  
"Cordelia honey, what are you doing?" Angel yawned behind her making her startle.  
  
"God Angel, we talked about this, no creeping up on me!" Cordelia stomped her foot in mock anger.  
  
"It's early, come back to bed." Angel tugged on her arm as she delved back into the fridge.  
  
"I'm hungry....ooh pizza!" She exclaimed happily. "When was the last time you ate anyway?" Angel shrugged his shoulders, dropping down into a chair still groggy from sleep. Cordelia placed a bag of O negative in the microwave and nuked it for him. After it went ding she poured it into a glass with out flinching at the sight of it and put it on the table. Angel look at her with so much love it made her blush.  
  
"What?" She giggled as she sat down next him.  
  
"You're wonderful." Angel stated as though this should be common knowledge.  
  
"Thank you." She blushed again, not use to Angel being so open with his feelings for her. She swallowed the pizza slice in four bites, instantly feeling better for having food inside her. Now if I could stop blushing like a school girl everything will be fine.  
  
"I'm going to talk to Wes today about fixing my curse." Angel said casually as though it wasn't important at all.  
  
"Oh...ok."  
  
"You do still want to be with me don't you? You haven't changed your mind?" Angel said desperately at Cordelia's less than enthusiastic response.  
  
"Calm down sweetie," She smiled, "I haven't changed my mind. It's just....it's all happened so fast Angel, I'm still feeling a little giddy from just kissing you." She leant across the table and kissed him softly, her lips barely touching his. "I love you." She murmured. Angel captured the back of her head and deepened the kiss, brushing his thumb along her jaw. Angel's lips followed his finger tips, planting kisses down her neck and along her collarbone. Cordelia laced her finger through his hair holding him close. He was entranced with the soft thudding of her blood under the delicate skin on her neck, the demon in him wanted to taste her. But Angel forced those thoughts down, now wasn't the time for that. Cordelia grasped his face and pulled him to her lips once again, nearly consuming him whole. As though she were light as a feather Angel picked her up and put her on his lap. Cordelia pulled away breathless and happy.  
  
"Yep, you really need to get you're curse fixed .....um Angel." Cordelia gestured to where Angel's hand had currently taken up residence on her breast."I'm gonna need that back."  
  
......................................................... ...........................................  
  
It's funny how quickly life goes back to normal. Angel thought to himself as he watched his friends around the office. Cordelia was busy doing her unique brand of filing while Wesley continued to research his musty old books, bickering with each other over the merits of the web verses more traditional means. As usual Cordelia was winning.  
  
"Wesley, I'd give up if I were you, you're not going to win this argument anytime soon." Angel smiled at the ex watcher. Cordelia childishly stuck her tongue at out the Englishman. The florist had delivered Cordelia's roses earlier in the morning, eliciting girlish screams from the young woman. After that they had resumed their daily routine. Apart from the fact that Angel could touch and hold the woman he loved as much as he wanted.  
  
"Is, um, is April coming in today?" Wesley tried to sound as casual as possible.  
  
"Some one has a crush." Cordelia said in a sing song voice.  
  
"I do not! I was merely wondering is all. I thought she might be of some assistance with this demon I am researching, seeing as you people give me no help at all." Wesley said defensively.  
  
"Pfft, yeah sure."Cordelia rolled her eyes.  
  
"She's coming in a little later, apparently some one kept her out till late last night. So Wes, what exactly did you two get up to?" Angel teased him.  
  
"Well after you two disappeared for the entire evening, Gunn went home, so I thought it were only polite to take her out to dinner. We had a very pleasant evening." Was all Wesley was willing to say.  
  
"A little advice about April Wes, she doesn't like to stay in the same place for too long, don't get too attached." Angel warned his friend.  
  
"So I take it by the way that Cordelia is sitting on your lap Angel, that you two have finally got it together." Wesley said eager to change the subject. "Yep." Cordelia smiled insanely and kissed the vampire on the cheek. "We're in lurve." The couple kissed happily.  
  
"I think I might vomit." Wesley grumbled.  
  
......................................................... .................................  
  
On the other side of town April was holding a snitch by his neck against the wall, his legs dangling helplessly.  
  
"I'm going to say it again, slowly, using big words. And if you don't ell me the truth I'll bite off your ears. Where is Darla shacked up?" April growled, she could feel her game face threatening to break through.  
  
"Ok, ok!" The little green demon wheezed. "If you could just loosen your grip a little....so I could breath." April dropped the demon who stumbled to his feet.  
  
"Well?" April put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow.  
  
"C'mon Clive, we both know you know everything that goes on in this town. Spill."  
  
"Fine, but if Darla finds out I squealed........Last time I heard she was down in Mexico some where, looking for a Shaman or something. That's all I know, I swear on my mothers life."  
  
"Clive, you ate your mother."  
  
"Don't mean I didn't love her."  
  
"You are a disgusting little demon." April scowled as she wiped her hands on her jeans. "Is that it?"  
  
"April would I lie to you?" He grinned evilly, looking April up and down appreciably. "So why the sudden interest in Darla, I thought you two use to be buddies?"  
  
"I have some unfinished business with her, Clive I suggest you stop asking questions and get out of here before I snap you in two." As he scurried away out of the bar April waved the bar tender over.  
  
"Vodka, no ice." The barman nodded and poured her a double.  
  
"You know I don't like you scaring away my locals. Every time your in town I loose money. I don't know why I let you in here at all." He said as he watched her down the drink with out flinching, then wandered off to collect empties. Slipping on her leather jacket April strolled out of the bar in to too bright sunlight. Wincing she quickly put on her sunglasses. So far her leads had turned up very little in the way of information on the whereabouts of Darla, but some law firm had been mentioned a couple of times. After talking to Wesley over dinner last night she had decided that Darla really needed to be staked. April knew that Angel wouldn't be able to bring himself to do, so she had no choice but to do it herself.  
  
And I'm rather looking forward to it.  
  
Her thoughts moved away from the blonde vampire and on to the ex watcher. It was true that Wesley wasn't the kind of guy she usually went for, he had a pulse for a start, but there was something about him that April was drawn to, and she was certainly looking forward to seeing him today. Come on girl, stop day dreaming about the boy and go beat some more snitch's up!  
  
......................................................... .................................  
  
"We need paying clients." Cordelia stated as though Angel could do something about it.  
  
"We're doing fine Cordy." Angel reassured her. Today had been going slower than usual, and they were all starting to get bored. Wesley had been through most of his books looking for a spell to anchor Angels soul but had come up with little, with a dull headache forming he gave up on his books and rang Willow to see if she could come up with anything. Delighted to hear from her friend, she promised to start researching straight away. Gunn had sauntered in around three o'clock, full off energy and wanting to go save the innocent. But two hours later the A.I team were lazing about in Angel's lounge watching a film.  
  
"Cordelia you should enjoy the down times, it doesn't happen very often." Wesley told the young girl who was snuggled in Angel's arms on the couch.  
  
"I'm confused. Why are we watching Steel Magnolias?" Gunn said from his position stretched out on the floor.  
  
"It was Cordy's turn to choose." Angel said by way of an explanation.  
  
"Ok, that makes sense now." He went back to watching Julia Roberts.  
  
"I love this film." Cordelia sniffed. "Hey! Any one working today?" April called from the lobby.  
  
"We're in the lounge." Cordelia hollered to her new friend. Wesley started to fidget with his hair nervously, but gave up when he realised all the hair products in the world couldn't help him at the moment.  
  
"Hey slackers. Not helping the hopeless today then?" April sat on the arm of Wesley's chair.  
  
"Slow day, watching film." Cordelia said without looking away from the television.  
  
"Ohh, Steel Magnolias, I love this film!" They sat in companionable silence as they watched Sally Field and Julia Roberts quarrel on the screen.  
  
"I don't get all the fuss about this film." Angel said after a while.  
  
"Of course you don't, you're a man." April retorted. "Remember the time I tried to get you to watch Casablanca? You whinged for two hours. I hope you realise what you're in for Cordy." She playfully mocked her old friend. "Um, thanks for dinner last night Wes, I had a really good time." April said quietly to the man next to her.  
  
"You're welcome April, I was, uh, wondering if you'd like to do something tonight?" Wesley asked her awkwardly.  
  
"Could you two speak up, we can't hear you when you whisper." Gunn drawled. April grabbed Wesley's hand and led him out on to the landing.  
  
"Now we can talk. I'd love to go out with you again Wesley." April said still holding on to his hand.  
  
"That's, that's great." He said a little flustered.  
  
"Well isn't this just the cutest thing I ever saw, April and the watcher sitting in the tree......" Darla sang evilly from the lobby.  
  
"Darla." April smiled cattily. "Either you've really let yourself go or some how you got yourself pregnant".  
  
......................................................... ...............  
  
"We have a problem." Wesley said ominously as he stuck his head round the lounge door. "What is it?" Cordelia asked him as she scrambled up off the couch.  
  
"It's.......you'd better come see."  
  
......................................................... ................  
  
"Sniffing around Angelus again April. I thought you would have learnt by now, my boy doesn't want you."  
  
"Darla, Darla, Darla.....I can't put in to words how much I haven't missed you." The two women circled each other ominously.  
  
"So how did you manage that then?" April nodded to Darla's bump.  
  
"You need me to draw you a picture?"  
  
......................................................... ..................  
  
Angel came to a crashing stop when he saw Darla, he heard Cordelia gasp behind him.  
  
"Hello darling boy. Happy to see me? Or should I say us?" Darla ran her hands over the bump.  
  
"What the.........?" Angel trailed off in astonishment.  
  
"That's just.....wrong." Gunn shuddered as he looked at the pregnant blonde vampire.  
  
"How can you be....?" Cordelia tried to get her head around the fact that Darla was heavily pregnant. Darla strolled over to where Cordelia had sat down in shock.  
  
"Well, well, well' She sniffed the brunette. "My boy's been all over you." She growled jealously. "I can smell him on you." Angel grabbed the blondes arms and dragged her away from his girl.  
  
"What the hell is going on Darla!?"  
  
"You're gonna be a daddy." She placed his hand on her tummy. Angel yanked his hand back as though he'd been burnt. Darla turned to April. "And I heard that my best friend April was in town and I just couldn't wait to catch up with a really good girlie chat. I thought you might be able to give me some advice on the whole childbirth thing April." Darla grinned maliciously. "I heard you've been through it before, where is your little rug rat any way? I'm starting to feel a little peckish." Enraged April advanced quickly on Darla, wooden stake ready for action.  
  
"No!" Angel got between April and Darla. "April, you can't."  
  
"Angel...get out of my freakin way." April boomed. But she knew he wasn't going to move. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.  
  
"Darla, get out of here before I let April loose on you." Angel threatened his sire.  
  
"Well if you want to know about your impending fatherhood Angel, I suggest you come see me later. I'll be expecting you. Cordelia, Gunn, Wesley, a pleasure as always." She smiled sweetly at the dumbfounded three. "April, maybe we could do lunch sometime?" Darla slipped in to her game face. "It's been so long since I had slayers blood in my mouth." With that Darla stalked off out of the building into the night, leaving behind her a horrified silence.  
  
......................................................... .........................  
  
The five friends sat mutely around the kitchen table, shocked beyond words. No one was speaking, everyone were busy lost in there own thoughts.  
  
He's going to leave me for Darla. Was Cordelia's. How can it be mine? Was Angel's. I'm going to rip that woman's heart out. Was April's. Angel's going to loose it again. Was Wesley's. This is bad, this is really bad. Was Gunn's.  
  
Wesley coughed, making everyone jump. "Cordy, are you ok?" Angel finally said, as he went to hold her hand.  
  
"I'm fine." Cordelia frowned and pulled away from his touch.  
  
"Cordy..." Angel pleaded with her to look at him.  
  
"Angel I said I'm fine." Cordelia snapped. The tension between the pair was palpable, Gunn looked to Wesley to see what to do but the ex watcher was too busy looking at April.  
  
"Ok everyone, how the hell is it even possible for a vampire to be pregnant?" Gunn said suddenly.  
  
"Well, vampire lore states that it isn't." Wesley took his specs off and cleaned them. "Maybe she isn't really.....with child."  
  
"She is....I heard it's heart beat." Angel muttered.  
  
"Well it can't be Angel's, ok? Angel is dead! Shooting blanks! It's not possible!" Cordelia tried to hold back the sob that caught in her throat. She lurched out of her chair and ran blindly up stairs. Angel started to go after her but April's hand on his arm stilled him.  
  
"Let her be on her own Angel, it's too much for her." Angel sat down again, holding his head in his hands.  
  
"Well I guess this is going to make killing her alittle more difficult." April said wryly as she ran her hand through her long black hair. Angel smiled grimly at his old friend.  
  
"Is it possible that I'm the father?"  
  
"I dunno hun. Anything's possible, I'm living proof of that. Do you want me to go talk to your girl?" April asked him.  
  
"Thanks April, I think I'd better go find Darla and get some answers."  
  
......................................................... .......................  
  
April knocked on the young woman's door, she could hear muffled sobs from the inside. Without waiting for an answer April walked in and sat down next to the devastated seer.  
  
"Cordelia sweetheart, stop crying." April rubbed her back soothingly. "It's going to be ok."  
  
"How? How the hell is this going to be ok?" Cordelia said furiously, wiping the tears off her face.  
  
"He's not going to leave you." She tried to calm her. "You're the one he wants to be with."Cordelia sagged miserably.  
  
"Her timing really sucks." Cordelia huffed. "Angel's gone to see her hasn't he?" April nodded.  
  
"He had to Cordy."  
  
"Yeah I know. Have I mentioned how much I hate Darla?"  
  
"Once or twice." April smiled. She's strong, that's good. She's going to have to be for both their sakes.  
  
"April can I ask you something?" Cordelia asked the slayer/vampire.  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"What did Darla mean about you knowing about childbirth?" A distant look took over April's usually animated face.  
  
"I've loved a lot of men in my life Cordelia, not just Angelus and Spike. Fifteen years ago I was living in this sleepy little town in the south of England, I was teaching music at the local high school. Enjoying the quiet life. I met Andy in the village pub." April smiled wistfully. "For five years we were so very much in love. I fell pregnant and had no choice but to tell Andy what exactly I was. He was so good to me, so kind. But it wasn't going to work. I knew I couldn't stay with him. So after I had the baby I left."  
  
"I don't understand? Why did you have to leave?"  
  
"I'm never going to die Cor, how was I going to explain that to my girl? How could I watch her grow old and die. She's not like me, she's mortal. Just a regular little girl. She's better off without me." April ended bluntly.  
  
"Do you ever see her?" Cordelia asked tentatively.  
  
"Andy writes and tells me how she's doing. He's really good with her, they have a wonderful life, I'm not going to mess with that."  
  
"What's her name?"  
  
"Amber. She'll be ten in November." April smiled. "So yes Cordelia, some times vampires can have babies."  
  
"Darla's baby...it's Angel's isnt it?" Cordelia asked already knowing the answer.  
  
"Yeah, I think so kid."  
  
......................................................... ........................  
  
Angel paced up and down the hall way outside Darla's hotel room, battling with what he should do. I could go in there and just stake her, then it will finally be over. But what if it is mine? How can she even be pregnant? It's not the same as April and Andy, she's only half vampire and he's human. This can't be happening. Darla opened the door sensing her boy outside.  
  
"Angelus. I'd knew you'd come back to me, to us."  
  
"Cut the crap Darla. What are you playing at?!" Angel growled as he stepped in the room.  
  
"I'm not playing at anything." Darla said inching toward him. "Do you want to feel your baby kicking?"Angel couldn't help himself, he let Darla place his hand on her belly.  
  
"It's moving..." Angel said in wonderment. "How is this possible?"  
  
"Anything's possible Angelus." Darla echoed April's earlier words. Angel pulled his hand away reluctantly, he was doing exactly what Darla wanted and they both knew it.  
  
"I mean it Darla, we're vampires.....undead.....we can't have children." Darla lowered herself awkwardly in to a chair and Angel instinctively helped her, then gave himself a mental smack in the head for the kind gesture.  
  
"So you're amusing yourself with the seer now are you? Your impending fatherhood must have come as a bit of a shock to her." Darla chuckled. "Well she's a slight improvement on the Slayer, though not by much."  
  
"Darla, please, how are you pregnant?" Angel begged his sire.  
  
"Oh Angelus, I wish I could tell you but I honestly don't know." Darla said wickedly. "It's our little miracle."  
  
"Is it...is it human?" Angel asked hopefully.  
  
"How should I know?" Darla snapped. "All I know for sure is that I've had the worst craving for oranges and I'm gonna drop this thing anyday now."  
  
"I don't buy it Darla, there's something very off about this. Why have you suddenly shown up again, you know I don't love you?" Angel asked her. "Was this your big plan to get me back? Pay some shaman to mystically get you pregnant and Angel will come running?"  
  
"Well you're here aren't you." Darla laughed surprised that Angel had figured it out so quickly. "Kudos to you Angelus, your not as stupid as you look."  
  
"What? You mean I'm right?! You bitch, that's not my kid at all." Angel got up to leave.  
  
"It is your's." Darla sneered. "It's just not mine." She finally admitted bitterly.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
......................................................... ................ "Hey Princess, how you doing?" Gunn asked Cordelia trying to be extra nice after Wesley's lecture on the fragility of Cordelia Chase.  
  
"I'm fine Gunn, and stop being nice, it's weirding me out." Cordelia mumbled. Angel had been gone for a while now, and Cordelia was beyond worried. In fact she was heading towards hysterical. But the guy's didn't need to know that.  
  
"I'm sure he'll be back soon." Wesley tried to reassure her.  
  
"I know...I'm just a little anxious is all." Angel you had better get your butt back here soon or there will be all sorts of hell to pay.  
  
Gunn and Wesley watched her nervously, waiting for her to flip out. The lobby telephone rang loudly, making both men suddenly jump. Cordelia ran to the phone and answered it before anyone else had a chance.  
  
"Angel!....yes honey I'm fine.....ok I'll tell her....come home soon....i love you too." And with that she hung up he phone.  
  
"April!" She hollered into the kitchen.  
  
"What is it hun?" April hurried out.  
  
"Angel needs you."  
  
........................................................ ........................  
  
Angel looked around the small hotel room in shock as he waited for Darla to come out of the bathroom. He'd called for April's help because he didn't know what else to do. He wasn't sure if he believed what Darla had told him but it was a lot more favourable then any thing else he could think of. The baby was Angel's but not Darla's. The shaman had used Angel's sperm but some random woman's egg. A few magic words and BAM! Darla was pregnant. He ran his fingers over the ornaments on the fire place, reeling from the fact that he was going to be a father. "So what happens now?" Angel asked his sire as she came out of the bathroom, he was too confused to be angry, but he was sure that would come later.  
  
"Well you should make an honest woman of me of course." Darla cackled.  
  
"You really didn't think that was going to happen did you?" Angel said incredulously. Darla shrugged. "Darla why did you do this? You don't have a maternal bone in your body. Was it just to torture me?"  
  
"Pretty much. Is it working?"  
  
"I should have killed you when I had the chance." Angel said furiously.  
  
"But you couldn't could you boy, that stupid soul of yours held you back. Well go ahead heres your chance Angel, put me out of my misery." She spat back. The two vampires squared off against each other and for a second Angel was tempted.  
  
"You can't do it." Darla said disgusted. "My Angelus would have."  
  
A loud knock on the hotel door made the vampires startle, Darla could smell April's perfume and instantly vamped out. Angel let April in, grateful to have her here.  
  
"Why is she here?!" Darla snarled advancing on the other woman.  
  
"I called her, I needed......I just needed her here." Angel sat down emotionally drained.  
  
"The bump does nothing for you hun, it's just really really gross." April squeezed Angel's hand in support. "So a shaman did this? How much did you have to pay him for this crime against nature?"  
  
"It's true then?" Angel asked April.  
  
"Yep, all it took was a few phone calls. The babies yours." She smiled at Angel, she knew how badly Angel had wanted children. She turned to Darla. "But not yours. God you must have been really desperate to get Angel back. You are so pathetic!" April laughed loudly.  
  
"I'm going to break your freaking neck." Darla growled slowly.  
  
"Give it up Darla, you probably need help getting out of that chair. So what's the plan Angel, you can't stay here all night, your girl is worried sick."  
  
"Well I can't leave Darla here on her own." Angel said miserably.  
  
"Then she'd better come back to the hotel." April reasoned.  
  
"No way!" Darla shouted outraged.  
  
"Darla, you don't want this baby, you just want it out of you. You've realised what a bloody stupid thing you've done. Angel will never come back to you. Get over it! So shut the hell up and come quietly, or I'll forget about you being pregnant and stake you myself." April threatened her pulling out a loaded cross bow from behind her.  
  
"I hate you." Darla muttered as she went to pack a bag.  
  
"Yeah well the feelings more than mutual."  
  
......................................................... ...............................................  
  
When Angel, April and Darla walked through the Hotel front door Cordelia felt her heart being torn in two. She told herself she should be happy for Angel, he never thought he would be able to have kid's, even if one day he did Shanshu. But Cordelia couldn't help but feel selfish, it should be her and Angel having a child.Waaay off in the future.  
  
"Well this is just wonderful, the whole gang together again." Darla grinned maliciously. "Cordy we're gonna have so much fun, we can do each others make up and watch soppy films then I'll have your boyfriends baby and drain you of all your blood!" Cordelia held back the tears that were starting to threaten again.  
  
"Darla I've seen kittens scarier than you, you look like a moose." Cordelia bit back. April laughed at the young girls retort, proud of how strong she was being.  
  
"Darla, I'll show you your room." Angel said not taking his eyes off Cordelia. Darla skulked off after Angel glaring at the young seer as she went, Cordelia just rolled her eyes.  
  
"You know I didn't think things could get any weirder round here." Gunn shook his head.  
  
"She's not actually going to be staying here is she?" Wesley asked April in disbelief. "Just until she has the sprog, then if I have my way she'll be a tiny pile of dust."  
  
........................................................ ...............  
  
Angel watched as Darla prowled around what was to be her home until she gave birth. She looked fragile but Angel knew better. Darla winced and rubbed her lower back. It was going to happen soon.  
  
"I won't let you hurt this child." Angel told her.  
  
"What are you going to do Angel? Kill me? You couldn't before so what makes you think you can now."  
  
"I might not be able to, but I'm sure April is more that willing."  
  
"Just keep her away from me and I won't do anything to harm our little one." Darla put heavy emphasis on the 'our'.  
  
"No Darla, the baby is mine, once you've had it it's staying with me and you don't come any where near it." Angel told her in no uncertain terms before he left the room and locking the door from the outside.  
  
........................................................ ...............................................  
  
Cordelia and April sat quietly in the kitchen, both drinking large whiskeys. As Angel came in he placed a kiss on Cordelia's hair.  
  
"How are you doing?" He asked her.  
  
"I'm ok Angel, really. April explained everything to me, she's pregnant with the help of some bad voodoo. You're going to be a Daddy." She smiled for the first time in hours even though she felt anything but happy.  
  
"I just wish it were with you." Angel said solemnly.  
  
"I know Angel, so do I. But you gotta play with the hand your dealt, right?" She laced her hand through Angel's. "We'll get through this. I love you. Nothing else matters, remember?"  
  
"I hate to bring this up now kids, but she's going to give birth in a few days. What happens after that?" April asked. Cordelia shifted her gaze on to the table top, dreading what Angel might say next. "I don't think I have much choice." Angel started. Cordelia's heart stopped. "Better make an honest woman of her." Angel waggled his eyebrows, letting Cordelia know he wasn't being serious. Cordelia smacked him on the arm with all her strength.  
  
"Of all the times you could have developed a sense of humour you pick now?"  
  
"Sorry Cordy....it's just all so bizarre." Angel apologised. "You wanna know what I think? She has the kid and then I stake her." April spoke up.  
  
"Amen to that!" Cordelia swallowed the rest of her whiskey with out wincing.  
  
"What about the baby?" Angel looked to April to make this all better.  
  
"Between the four of you I think you can change a few diapers. And I'm not going any where soon, Wesley promised me a second date. I know this is a lot for you two to take on, I mean you've only just got together, but this could be a good thing. It doesn't have to end like it did with me and my little girl. Just give it a chance." April finished with a shrug.  
  
"What do you think?" He needed to know what Cordelia wanted.  
  
"We can't let Darla keep it, god knows what that bitch would do. I think.....I think you should do this."Cordelia said honestly.  
  
"I understand if you don't want to have anything to do with it." Angel told her.  
  
"I'm in this for keeps Angel. You, me and baby makes three." Cordelia reassured him. "But you change the diapers." She added quickly, grinning.  
  
"You really are wonderful Delia." Angel hugged his girl.  
  
"So it's decided then, the hell bitch has the kid, I cut off her head and we all live happily ever after." April declared.  
  
"It's amazing how you make things sound so simple." Angel laughed.  
  
"It doesn't always have to be so difficult Angel." April smiled fondly at her old friend. A heart stopping scream echoed from Darla's room. "Well looks like it's starting. Cor get me some blankets and the sharpest sword you have." April rolled up her sleeves.  
  
"Your really going to cut her head off?" Cordelia asked hopefully.  
  
"Duh! Of course I am!"  
  
"April. Don't do anything rash." Angel warned her as she entered Darla's room.  
  
"Guess who's going to be your midwife? I bet you wish you hadn't tried to kill me all those times now. Well what goes around comes around I suppose. This could take a while D, just think off all the fun girlie chat's we can have." They heard April say before she closed the door. Cordelia wrapped her arms around Angel, he kissed her slowly.  
  
"You'll always be my girl Cordy, nothings going to change that." He told her as if he could read her mind. "I love you, now and always."  
  
"I love you too Angel." She relaxed a little. Maybe they could make this work.  
  
the end 


End file.
